County to take over vets’ transportation
The two new vans that will carry Fayette County veterans to and from Pittsburgh veterans hospitals are making their final tests runs in anticipation of starting service next month. Come Monday, the Fayette County office of Veterans Affairs will take over transportation from Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation (FACT), a move Veterans Affairs Director Donald Seroka claims will save money for his office. On Monday, Seroka said the drivers were making test runs to ensure the schedule times will work.
Seroka said he is estimating the annual cost of operation will be less than $70,000, and that figure will include salaries, maintenance and gas. Seroka said for the last four months, it has cost the Veterans Affairs office $12,000 each month for FACT to handle the transportation.
“It’s definitely going to save money,” Seroka said. With FACT handling the service, Seroka said the Veterans Affairs office had to pay $80 for each trip and veterans were not permitted to have anyone accompany them. With the Veterans Affairs office handling the medical trips, Seroka said one person could accompany a patient, provided there is enough available space.
In anticipation of taking over the service, Seroka sent out a letter to more frequent users of the medical transportation informing them of the impending changes. Beginning this week, any veteran seeking to make reservations to ride the bus in October should call the Veterans Affairs office at 724-430-1241.
To initiate this program, Seroka is asking each veteran to re-register at the Veterans Affairs office. To register, provide a copy of a DD214 form, photo identification and a VA medical card, Seroka said.
Seroka is urging any veteran with questions or concerns to call him.
Last month, the commissioners voted to enter into lease agreements with Superior Ford for a Ford E350 15-passenger van for $20,302 and a Ford E350 wheelchair passenger van for $38,166. Superior submitted the only bid for the leases.
The lease agreements are each for 60 months, Seroka said. The 15-passenger van will cost $390.08 per month and a wheelchair van will cost $733.32 per month, according to county manager Warren Hughes.
Seroka said the drivers were taking test runs on Monday to make sure the scheduled times will work.
The schedule is as follows:
Bus No. 1, Express, Monday through Friday
7 a.m., pickup at Uniontown VFW; 7:20 a.m., pickup at Randall’s Restaurant; 8:30 a.m., dropoff at University Drive; 9 a.m., dropoff at Highland Drive; 9:15 a.m., dropoff at Aspinwall; 1:15 p.m. pick up at Aspinwall; 1:30 p.m. pickup at Highland Drive; 2 p.m., pickup at University Drive; 3 p.m., dropoff at Randall’s Restaurant and 3:30 p.m., dropoff at Uniontown VFW.
Bus No. 2, Monday, Wednesday and Friday
9 a.m., pick up at Uniontown VFW; 9:20 a.m., pickup at Connellsville VFW; 10 a.m., pickup at Randall’s Restaurant; 11 a.m., dropoff at University Drive; 11:30 a.m., dropoff at Highland Drive; 11:45 a.m., dropoff at Aspinwall; 2:45 p.m., pickup at Aspinwall; 3 p.m., pickup at Highland Drive; 3:30 p.m., pickup at University Drive; 4:40 p.m., dropoff at Randall’s Restaurant; 5:10 p.m., dropoff at Connellsville VFW; 5:30 p.m., dropoff at Uniontown VFW.
Bus No. 2, Tuesday and Thursday
9 a.m., pickup at Uniontown VFW; 9:20 a.m., pickup at Masontown American Legion; 9:45 a.m., pickup at Brownsville American Legion; 10 a.m., pickup at Washington Township Fire Hall; 11 a.m. dropoff at University Drive; 11:30 a.m., dropoff at Highland Drive; 11:45 a.m., dropoff at Aspinwall; 2:45 p.m., pickup at Aspinwall; 3 p.m., pickup at Highland Drive; 3:30 p.m., pickup at University Drive; 4:30 p.m., dropoff at Washington Township Fire Hall; 4:45 p.m., dropoff at Brownsville American Legion; 5:05 p.m., dropoff at Masontown American Legion; 5:25 p.m., dropoff at Uniontown VFW.